Corn harvester



July 29, 1952 R. c. FERGASON CORN HARVESTER Original Filed Oct. 23, 1947 WWW? ATTORNEY Patented July 29, 1952 CORN HARVESTER Rector C. Fergason, Gadsden, Ala., assignor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Continuation of application Serial No. 781,698, Qctober 23, 1947. This application November 25, 1950, Serial No. 197,543

7 Claims.

This application is a continuation of my pending application Serial No. 781,698, now abandoned, filed October 23, 1947, and this invention relates generally to corn harvesters and more particularly to apparatus for rendering the known types of pickers more eflicient under ad'- verse conditions.

For example, in the picking of sweet corn for canning or eating purposes, it is impractical to use the known types of mechanical pickers as they have a tendency to crush or bruise the ears rendering the ears unfit for canning or eating purposes. In addition, crushed stalks and ears tend to clog up the picking rolls making it necessary to stop quite often to clean the rolls to keep the picker operating and even partially clogged rolls tend to bruise more cars than clean rolls. Also because of the fact that most sweet corn tends to mature at a lesser height than field corn more sunlight gets through sweet corn to the ground and thereby stimulating a hearty weed growth which results in an excess of weeds in sweet corn patches tending to increase the clogging action in the known types of corn pickers. In fact, these problems involved in trying to mechanically pick sweet corn have been so great that sweet corn has been customarily picked by hand. Furthermore,- the previously mentioned problems generally apply to the picking of field corn in a green or wet condition. Therefore, the primary object of this invention is to provide means for picking sweet, wet or green corn under adverse conditions without harvesting a large amount of trash with the picked ears and without stopping frequently to unplug the machine.

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide apparatus which may be substituted for a portion of the apparatus in a known type of corn picker thereby rendering the corn picker operative to pick sweet, wet or green corn without bruising or crushing the cars. Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus which will sever ears of corn from the stalk without removing any of the protective shucks from'the ears.

Another object of this invention, is to provide means for positively severing all material remaining between the picking rolls prior. to this material reaching the spacer rings or front bearings of the picking rolls and thereby preventing p sg I 1 i Another object of this invention is toprofvide an, improved corn harvester snapping rollfin} eluding a-severing section which is durable, inexpensive and readily interchangeable with known snapping roll sections, and in which the complete roll may be readily substituted for a known snapping roll.

The construction, application, and operation of apparatus embodying the invention will become readily apparent as the disclosure progresses and particularly points out additional features considered of special importance and of general application although shown and described as applied to a tractor mounted, one row harvester.

Accordingly, the invention may be considered as consisting of the various details of construction and combinations of elements as is more fully set forth in the following description and appended claims, reference being also had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a tractor mounted, one row corn picker embodying the invention with some parts removed for clarity;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view on line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a section of the blades in Fig. 3; y

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the smooth roll on line V-V of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 4; f a

Fig. 7 is an end view of a modified form of blade; and

Fig. 8 is an end view showing a modified type I of smooth roll construction.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the tractor I is of conventional form and includes a frame structure 2 mounting an engine 3. The tractor frame is supported on a pair of adjacent centrally disposed front steering wheels 4 and on a pair (only one of which is shown) of laterally spaced traction wheels '6 carried by a rear axle structure I. The rear axle structure may be a conventional drop type structure comprising an intermediate portion 8 enclosing a differential drive from the engine through the usual transmission, and depending side portions 9 enclosing gearing connecting the differential drive with the axles of the traction wheels 6. The rear portion of thetractor is provided with a power takeoff H mounting a power transmitting sprocket wheel or the like l2v which is drivingly connected to shaft l3 by conventional means.

As illustrated, the tractor mounted implement is a one row corn harvester comprising ear picking and conveying means mounted on a unitary main frame'st'ructure including a front portion formed by longitudinally extending inner and outer frame assemblies l4 and I6, respectively, suitably braced by gusset plates (not shown) and including a longitudinally stepped down and laterally offset rear portion formed by a longitudin'ally extendingtmember (notshown) inwardly offset relative to the rear end of outer assembly I 6 and connecting with cross member I! to form a unitary frame structure. The ear picking and conveying portions mounted on the front portion of the unitary frame structure include a pair of cooperative longitudinally "extending harvester rolls l8 and I9 and a conveying chain'2l. Chain 2| is operatively mounted on a front sprocket 22 carried by the forward endof the frame at the inner side of the harvesting rolls, -on-a guide sprocket 23 carried by the frame at the inner side of the rear ends of the rolls, and on a driving sprocket 24 suitably mounted at the upper'end of a vertical shaft 25 carried by the main frame in inwardly offset :relation -.and somewhat beyond the rearor dischargeiends of the rolls 18 and t9. Guldeisprocket 23 coacts with sprocket.22"to direct the active course of the chain over 'and along.::the harvesterJrolls. Rolls [8 and F9 are mounted in suitable (bearings (not'shown') "carried byia'zrea'r bearing bracket :21 adjacent therear ends of the rolls and bya forward bearing :bracket 28. :Rolls l8and 19 'are so 'mounted that upper surfaceportions of: roll H) are 'lowerthan correspondingiportionsofroll I8, as is shown in Figs. 2:;and8. The rear end of the inner or lower roll 19 is "flexiblyconnected'by suitable mean to be driven by shaft 13. The outer or higher roll I8 may be driven through a-gear-connectionfl with the innerroll so that therolls arerevolving in opposite directions in timed sequence. Each harvester roll includes a'picker section 3| extending forwardly of bearingbracket28, a trash removing section (not shown) immediately to the 'rearof front bearing-bracket 28, a husking section 32 immediately to the rear of the trash section and if. desired, another trash removing section 33 immediately to-the rear of husking section 32. I

The front section of the unitary. frame structure of the harvester mounts inner and outer gathering shieldscomprising@point portion 34 'and '36'and rear portions '31 and 38, respectively. The rear of the shields are preferably interconnected by a cross brace and throat forming member 39 and present-opposed vertically extending. rear wall portions coacting to .form with therolls -18 and 1 l9 .a trough through which thepicked ears and any piecesiof stalk trash which-may bepresent are vconveyed rearwardly by the active course of chain 2!. In addition, the forward ends of the front frame portions mount a pair of -laterally spacedstalk gathering spider wheels 42.

The ear conveying means. mounted .on the rear portion of the unitary frame structure includes a-wall structure forming a trough 43 which is disposed in stepped'down extension forming relation with respectto the discharge end. oftrough Vertical shaft "48 'is drivenly connected to shaft l3 by conventional power transmitting'means.

The sprockets, including sprocket 41, are so ar ranged that the active course of chain 46 passes through the lower or bottom portion of trough 43 in spaced relation with respect to the overlying rear end portion of the active course of chain 2|. A receiving portion (not shown) may be located adjacent the discharge end of trough 43 and serve as a hopper for any desired conveying means which can be attached to the main frame to elevate harvested ears to a trailing device.

Ina'ddition, the harvesting unit also includes a pair of edge opposed inner and outer stripper plate structures :49 and 5|, respectively, overlying the snapping roll section 3| with gathering and conveying chain 2! having an active course and flights 53 thereon overlying the inner stripper plate andthe-snapping section of the inner roll. Stripper plate 5| is adjustable so that the distance or gap 50 between the opposed edges of plates 49 and 5! may be varied to suit the conditions of the crop. This adjustment is accomplished by rotating rod 54 which has a threaded connection with member 55 carried by the corn harvester frame. Plate 5| is supplied withflan opening (not shown) through which rod 54 passes. Adjacent this opening are pins -56 on either side of plate 5| and attached to rod which prevent movement of rod54 along its longitudinalaxis without a like movement of plate 5 I. Plate-52 is secured to the main frame structure and extends alongside of and above the ear husk-- ing section 32 of the inner roll IS in approximately aligned end opposed relation with respect to the inner stripper plate 49 and from a .point immediately adjacent the rear side of the front bearing bracket 28 to a point substantially-.atthe rear end of the secondor last trash sectionf'33, and plate 52 is positioned in overlying relation with respect to the trash removing and ear husking section of the inner roll to provide an effective ear supporting extension of inner stripper plate and of the interposed portion of front bearing bracket'28, over and along which picked ears are conveyed by the flights 53 on chain 2| without contacting the trash removing and huskingsections of the inner rolland thereby preventingears being so conveyed from being husked.

llhe snapping section 3l of'Fig. 1 is shown in anenlarged view in Fig. 3 and comprises a part of upper roll [8 and lower roll 19 and 'is the portion of therolls forward of bracket 28. The upper roll snapping section comprises a cylindrical portion .or shaft member 51 upon which is mounted and suitably'fastenedthereto by means not shown a spacer ring 58 including a hub portion 59 of lesser outer diameter thanthe ring. On the forward end of shaft 51 is mounted a tapered stalk engaging point 6| having spiral ribs thereon and including a hub 'portion'62. A tubular portion 63 is slidably mounted onthe hub portions of point BI and spacer ring 58 and including a cylindrical reinforcing member 64 slidably mounted on shaft member 51 and connected to the inner surface of the tubular portion 63 as by welding. Tube 63 is fastened to shaft member 51 by tapered pins 6'6which are inserted through tubular portion 63, reinforcing member 64 and shaft 51 and through tubular portion'63, hub 62and shaft member 51. 'The manner in which'the tapered pinsBB are inserted is quite clearly shown in 'Fig. 5. The lower roll snapping section comprises 'a cylindrical portion or shaft member 61 upon which is mounted a "spacer ring identical to'the spacer ring mounted towards each other and ordinarily the rolls rotate with the outer surfaces of these two rings in contact. A bladed peripheral-portion consists of two angle sections and is attachedto shaft 61 as by bolting. As shown in Fig. 6 each section consists of two individual knife blades 68 in which the butt end of one of the blades is attached to a shank portion of the other blade at approximately. right angles thereto as by weld: lng. Each blade has two tapers therein, one taper extending longitudinally of the blade wideningly rearwardly so that at its, widest or most rearward portion the blades will contact the tubular portion 63 each revolution of the rolls, the other taper of the blade is at the front end thereof where the blade meets the stalk feeding pointv orfront part 69 having external ribs thereon. Each blade, when the sections are attached as by bolts 12 and nuts 13 to the shaft 61, is mounted approximately tangentially to the periphery of the shaft 6."! with the forward ends of the blades 68 projecting beyond the forward end of shaft Bl in tube forming relation. The stub shaft or rear portion H of point 69 is telescopically received within this tube portion and is retained therein by bolt 72 and a nut (not shown). The upper end of each blade 68 has a portion removed so that a portion of the blade is in contact with the hub portion of the spacer ring58. 7.

Referring now to the modified construction shown in Fig. '7, in which like numerals are used to designate the same or corresponding parts, it is seen that a two bladed structure can be substituted for the four bladed structure of Fig.

2. In Fig. '7 the individual blade members while retaining. the same tapers as indicated in Fig. 3 now have their shanks bent at right angles so that when twojof the blades are bolted to shaft member t1 the shank portions of each blade are tangential to shaft 6! and the butt end of each blade is approximately. perpendicular to the shank of the other blade.

And referring to the modified construction shown in Fig. 8, it is seen that a ribbed type of roll structure may be substituted for the tubular section shown in Fig. 5 as long as there is a peripheral surface 14 such as in Fig. 8 to coact with the cutting edges of blades 68 and the timing of the rolls being such that knife blades 88 will have a peripheral portion of roll lB'to coact, with.

As the tractor mounted corn harvester is driven through a field of corn with the dividers 34 and 3B beingguided to positions on'opposite sides of a row of standing corn, the spider wheels d2, dividers 3t and 36, shear plates 49, 5!, conveyor 2|,and points 6i and E9 lift and guide the corn stalks to a position between the picking rolls I8 and [9 which rotate; in relatively opposed stalk detruding directions as indicated by arrows l6 and T! in Figs. 2 and 8. The spiral points while revolving in opposite directions feed the stalks back to the severing or effective snapping portions of the rolls. Inw this respect, it should be noted that the spiral point 69 on knife roll I9 is shorter than the spiral point 6| on the smooth roll H3. The additionallength of the spiral external ribs on the smooth roll point 6| tends to feed the stalks on to the knives 83. To aid in this feeding, the forward ends of the knives 68 are tapered as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. The knives 68 are also tapered wideningly rearwardly along their longitudinal dimension so that while there is clearance at the forward end between smooth roll portion 63 and knives 68, there is actual contact between the two at the rear end thereof adjacent spacer rings 58. The cutting edges of the knives 68 coacting with the smooth surface peripheral portion 63 draw the stalks down between the rolls. The clearance between the smooth roll and the knife roll is such that the knives do not cut entirely through the stalk unless the stalk is still between the rolls when adjacent spacer rings 58. Adjacent the-spacer ring there is no clearance between knifeand smooth roll and any material confined between the rolls at that point will be severed. While the embodiment shows actual contact between blades and smooth surface adjacent the spacer rings, it is not necessary that actual contact take place as long as there is a contiguous relation between knife and smooth surface.

As the stalk is drawn down between rolls l8, E9 the ears on the stalks approach the stripper plates 49, 5|. These plates are adjusted so that stalks will pass between them but ears of corn will not. The shank, or portion between the ear and the stalk, of an ear of corn tapers wideningly toward the ear and as an ear of corn approaches the stripper plates 49, 5!, this widened portion of the shank begins making contact with the opposed edges of the stripper plates and the downward motion of the ear of corn is retarded. Then; when an ear of corn is retarded by the stripper plates, one of the knives engaged with the shank of the ear slices practically through the shank because the shank is now traveling between the rolls at a lesser speed than the rolls are revolving and the action of the knife pulling against the stripper. plates is sufficient to complete the severing of the partially cut shank from the stalk. The severed ear will then be conveyed rearwardly as the stalk from which the ear was severed continues to be fed through the rolls.

After being severed the ear topples down from the position shown in Fig. 2 and is conveyed rearwardly by the active course of conveyer 2| back over bearing bracket 28, over plate 52 which prevents the ear from being husked by covering the husking section 32 of roll [9, back to trough it?- wherethe active course of conveyer d6 delivers the ear to a point of discharge adjacent sprocket 47 and between frame members at.

In the operation of this invention substantially all of the stalks and trash will pass through the rolls with very few stalks being out 01f to pass rearwardly with the severed ears. It is believed that the reasons why the ear shanks ar severed without severing the stalks is because as the stalks are drawn between the rolls and an ear approaches the shear plates, the ear is actuated by the shear plates, flights 53 of conveyer 2i, and the rolls l8 and 59 to move the ear to a position either in front of such as is illustrated in Fig. 2, or in back of the stalk so that the knife does not have to cut through either the stalk or the shank of an car before contacting the other. Or in other words the ear can be drawn deeper into th space between the shear plates if the ear is located ahead of or behind the stalk and as a result, the ear tends to pivot around to this position aided in the pivoting process by conveyer 2! and by rolls l8, it which by the tapered clearance therebetween tend to take stalks and shanks separately and not both with the same portion of the blade. The fact that shear plate 5! is located in a different plane from shear plate 49 also tends to aid this pivoting process. Then as the stalk and .7 shank of the ear are being worked on by the kni'fe rollat the same time=and as thereis noth ing i to *retard the-stal-k, th'ekn'ife roll "feeds the stalk between the-rolls to the ground and when the ear isret'ardedby the-stripper plates,-the knife cuts-practically through the shank and the stalk and as =the movement downwardly o'f'the knife continues --the remaining "portion onthe shank is 'pulle'd'free while the stalk continues being fed-between the' rolls'by the knife'fcoacting with the smodtnroll. The stalk doesnot-break when the shanko f 'the --ear breaks as *the stalk is stronger having a greatenarea le'firinta'ct from thecutting acti'on o'f'the knife. f

- Preferably the-cuttingedges of the knife :blades ared'ull to prevent 'e'xcess cutting. -How'ev'er,*the embodiment of the invention will work-"satisfactorily 'w'ith the knives in a sharpened"condition.

*While the bladedroll-portionsmay be installed one'ither 'ofthe rolls and the longitudinal" axeso'f the-rolls =n'r'ay "lie-in "the same plane with" the'co'rresponding portions "of each rollthe-same height from" the "ground and satisfactory'operation will result, "at thesame time-the preferredarrangement is with the bladed por'tion'on the "lower" of the rolls as shown-in -the illustrati'omas this is the most efficient arrangement.

From the foregoing description 'it'is apparent that an embodiment-of this inventiondsapplicable to -any--cornharvester utilizing snapping-rolls and-that 'the'subs'titution of the "embodiment "of this invention for "known snapping sections can be easily andquick-ly-done. "In'the'illustrated instanceall' thatis requiredis'to remove the snappingsectionsincludingthepoints from the "shaft forward of the "frontbearing"bracket and substitute thereforthe knifesec'tion, 'smooth'roll section and the "corresponding .points and aru'g'g'e'd durable structure is obtained and at small cost a corn harvester of conventional design is converted to'a'corn harvester capable of picking sweet, green 'or wet 'corn without bruising or *crushing'the ears.

The 'invention'is generally applicable to all types of corn harvesters having snapping 'rolls and it shouldbe understood'thatit 'i's'notde'sired to limit the invention 'to'the "exact construction and application 'he'reinshown and described 'for purposes of illustrating as variousmodifications may occur'to persons skilled in theart.

It isclaimed and desired to-secure by Letters :Patent:

I claim:

1. In a corn harvester, a pair of substantially parallel, spaced opposed snappingrrolls rotatably mounted in said harvester for receiving standingstalks of 'corn therebetween, rotating means operatively connected to said rolls for rotating same in opposite directions about their respective longitudinal center lines, a stripper plate mounted in'overlying substantially coextensive spaced relation to each of said rolls, said plates having spaced opposed edges toprovide a gap therebetween, and cutting means including at least one knife blade mounted on one of said rolls and presenting a peripheral cutting edge substan- =tia'1ly coextensive with the effective snapping portion of'said one roll.

2. In a corn harvester, a pair of substantially parallel, spaced opposed snapping rolls rotatably 'mounted'in said harvester for receiving standing stalks of corn therebetween, rotating means operatively connected to said rolls for rotating same in opposite directions about their respective longitudinal centerlines, one of said rolls being mounted with its upper surface portion lower than that of the corresponding portion of the other of said rolls, a stripper :plate mounted in overlying substantially "coextensive spaced relation to 'each of said rolls, :said .pla'tes'thaving spaced bpposededges to provide-a gap therebetween, and cutting meansincludin'g "at le'ast on'e knife blade mounted on said one' roll and presenting a .peripheral *cutting e'dge substantially coextensive with"'the lefiective snapping portion of said-"one roll. 4

,3. In a corn harvester, a pair of substantially parallel, 'spaced opposed snapping roll's rotatably mounted in saidiharvester for receiving standing :stalks of icorn' therebetween, rotating -means operatively connected to said rolls for rotating same inopposite directions about their resp'ective longitudinal center lines, a stripper platemounted -in overlying substa'ntially coextensive' spaced relation to each of said rolls/said plates --having spaced opposed edges-to provide a gap 'therebetween,1 and cutting means including 'a't least one knife blade mountedonone of said rolls and presenting a peripheral cutting edge substantially coextensive "with the effective snapping portion of said one roll, said cutting edge extending in oblique relation to 'the longitu'dinalcenter line .of said'one roll. 4

'4. Ina'corn harvestena' pair of substantially parallel, spaced opposed snapping rolls rotatably mounted in said harvester for receiving standing stalks Of'COI'n therebetween, -rotatin'g means operatively "connected 'to said rolls for rotating same-in oppositerdirections about their respective longitudinal center. lines, a stripper plate mounted in overlying :su'bstantially coextensive spaced relationtoie'ach of saidro'lls, sai'd plates having spaced opposed edges to provide a gap thereb'etween,*and*cutting means including at least one knife blade mounted on one of said rolls *and presenting "a peripheral 1 cutting edge substantially coextensive 'with "the effective snapping portion of said one roll, said other roll having a plain surface peripheral portion, said blade being tapered wideningly rearwardly so that "a eontiguo'usr'elation exists between-'a'rear portion of the cutting edge of said blade andsaid .plain surface'portion duringa part of l'each'r'evolution "ofsaid rolls.

5. In 'a'corn harvester, alpai'r ofsubstantially parallel, spaced opposed snapping rolls rotatably mounted in said harvester for receiving standing stalks of corn therebetween, rotating means operatively connected to saidirolls for rotating same in opposite directions about their respective longitudinal center lines, a stripper .plate mounted in overlying substantially coextensive spaced relation to each of said rolls, said plates having-spaced opposed edges to provide a gap therebetween, one of said rolls having a plain surface cylindrical portion, and cutting means on the other "of ':said' rolls comprising a pair of complementary blade sections detachably fixed to'an'd enclosing a cylindrical portion "of said other roll in :a tube "structure generally rectangular in transverse cross section, said tube structurepresenting at "least one peripheral cutting edge extending lengthwise on 'said "other roll substantially coextensive with the e'fiective snapping portion'of'said other roll.

'6. A'corn harvester as specified in claim 5, in which said tube structure presents innersur'faces lying in planes tangential to said cylindrical portion.

7. A com harvester as specified in claim 5, in which each of said sections comprises a pair of blades mounted at right angles to each other and each blade presents a cutting edge substantially coextensive with the snapping portions of said other roll, and each of said blades tapers wideningly rearwardly such that contacts are made between rear portions of the cutting edges of said blades and said plain surface portion each revolution of said rolls.

REC'IOR C. FERGASON.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 351,302 Westerfield -c Oct. 19, 1886 461,246 Meader Oct. 13, 1891 1,046,335 Rust Dec. 3, 1912 10 2,434,124 Schaaf et a1 Jan. 6, 1948 

